Second chances
by Romantific
Summary: Carlisle and Edward meet briefly in Chicago before Edward falls ill and quickly fall in love. When Carlisle sires Edward when his illness threatens to take him away for good Edward struggles to come to terms with his new life when he meets Jasper whom is also having trouble with his life as a vampire. Carlisle soon feels threatened by Jasper's appearance but does he need to be?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

 **Chapter. 1**

 _February 12 1918, Chicago._

 _Numbers of lives taken by 'La Grim' are growing steadily, reports say the disease is spreading fast and is unstoppable in its destruction. Authorities urge all citizens not to leave their houses without a face mask, affected areas will be evacuated immediately upon inspection._

The news paper I was reading was suddenly snatched out of my hand and I looked up to find my father glaring at me.

"Why haven't you asked Katya to marry you yet? She is perfect for you son, she is beautiful, proper and she respects you. I just don't understand your hesitance on this matter, you will be eighteen soon. You will be coming to work at my firm and you need a wife if you are to be respected boy. Tell me what is the hold up?" I sigh and looked down at the table.

"I'm not ready pa, I can't stand the woman. She drives me insane beside, I want to marry for love not because it is expected." While this is all true I daren't speak of the real reasons behind my reluctance to find a wife. Homosexuality was a punishable offence if caught and if I told my father I was gay, even though he loved me very much and was a gentle hearted man, he would beat me within an inch of my life and throw me out on the street disowning me. My mother on the other hand wouldn't lay a finger on me or tell my father about it but it would break her heart.

"Edward.." my father sighed.

"Oh Ed, leave him be. He will know when the right one comes along and marry when he is ready, you need to have patience and faith. His happiness means more then what the people will think does it not?" Mum asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Yes it does Liz, you're right as ever." He smiled as he kissed her cheek. "Okay Junior, have it your way. I will speak with Katya's father and ask him to direct her affections elsewhere alright?" He asked smiling at me.

"Thank you pa." I smiled with relief. I really couldn't stand that woman, the moment we were alone together she practically threw herself at me. It was creepy and disgusting.

"Junior, come help me with dinner will you please."

"Sure ma." I replied following her into the kitchen. "Thank you for defending me in there, pa can be kind of difficult to reason with when he is on a mission and dealing with anyone who is not you." I tell her as I start to slice the vegetables in front of me.

"He is a stubborn man, a trait in which you received from him by the way, but his heart is in the right place. He loves you very much and only wants what is best for you."

"I know that Ma, I just wish he would let me make my own choices."

"Speak to him, tell him of your feelings. He will be more understanding if you are upfront and speak your mind of this I am sure." She said smiling at me.

"Okay Ma, thank you for the advice." I said as I finished cutting the food.

"Alright baby, go to your studies. I will call you when dinner is on the table." She told me as she kissed my cheek and pushed me toward the kitchen door.

XxX

A week later I am in my study that is joined with my room and an ensuite when I hear my father call my name from downstairs and closed the book I was reading to go to him. When I found him he was in his study with the windows open, sitting behind his desk with a stack of papers sitting in front of him. He was just signing off on the last document as I sat down in the seat opposite his desk and placed it in a file in the top draw of his desk. He stood and poured two glasses of amber liquid, offering me one.

"What is it?" I asked eyeing the glass warily, like it might bite me.

"It's whiskey son, drink up." He said taking a sip of his own.

I raised the glass to my mouth and took a tentative sip and damn near spat it all over pa's desk. He chuckled as he watched me struggle to swallow the vile liquid without vomiting.

"Do not worry son, it is not for everyone. It is an acquired taste." He smiled at me taking the glass back from me. "I called you here to ask of your studies and see how they were coming along." He said coughing a little.

"They are coming along well actually, my tutor believes I will be finished with them by the end of the year." I told him proudly and frowned when he coughed again.

"Wow the end of the year, that's quite an accomplishment."

"Yes, they called me a quick study. Are you alright pa? You do not look so well, shall I call Ma to fetch the nurse?" I asked concerned but he shook his head.

"No son, do not fret over me I am quite alright." Be even as he said this he was coughing. When I looked closer he was shaking and sweating.

"You're shaking pa, are you cold? Would you like me to close the windows?"

"No thank you son, just fetch me some water please." He asked pointing to the water pitcher in the corner with his alcohol.

I quickly poured him a glass and passed it to him but he soon began coughing violently and collapsed. "Pa! Ma help, bring the nurse to pa's study quick." I shouted as I ran to him placing his coat under his head and when I looked at his face I saw blood on his lips from the coughing fit.

I heard a gasp and looked up to see Ma standing in the doorway with her hand over her mouth and tears forming in her beautiful green eyes so much like my own. She ran over to us and placed her hand on pa's forehead.

"The nurse passed away a few nights ago and I have yet to hire a new one." She told me. "We will have to take him to the hospital ourselves." She quickly stood and rushed from the room as I struggled to lift my father from the ground. I was able to get to my feet with his arm around my shoulders and stumble outside with him. Man he is heavy, I thought to myself as I struggled to put him in the back of the car as Ma held the door open for me and sat in the back with his head in her lap as I drove us to the hospital.

"Help! I need a doctor please, my father is sick." I shouted as I ran inside.

"I am doctor Cullen, why don't you start by telling me your name and we'll go from there." A strong and confident masculine voice said from beside me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

 **Chapter. 2**

I looked over to see the most gorgeous man I have ever seen in my life wearing a white doctors coat and a suit underneath it. He was pale skinned with sharp facial features, he had golden hair and his eyes were about the same colour. He stood at about six foot four which is a whole foot taller then myself but altogether the man was delicious and he was looking at me with concern.

"My name is Edward Anthony Masen junior, my father is Edward senior. He is outside in the car with my mother Elizabeth Maree, please he needs your help he just started coughing and collapsed." I told him.

"Okay lead the way." He said calling over another doctor and ordering a nurse to make up a cot as quickly as possible.

We ran to the car where Ma was still sitting in the back stroking pa's hair and crying quietly, he opened the door and Ma quickly got out for him to inspect pa. He whispered something to the other doctor with him and they pulled pa out of the car and quickly carried him into the hospital together and placed him on the cot and started working on him immediately.

We started to follow him but a nurse stopped us, telling us to wait in the hall for the doctor to come get us and that we would just get in the way of production. While I understood what she was saying I thought she was very rude and would have said something if I were not so worried for my mother who was crying into my shoulder.

"He will be alright Ma, you know pa. He is strong, he would survive an attack with an A-bomb." I joked and she laughed.

"Yes, you are quite right. Your father is strong and can survive anything." Just then doctor Cullen came out looking concerned.

"Mrs Masen, how long has your husband been ill?"

"He has been coughing for a few days now but not much else, junior was with him when he collapsed though. Can I go to him now."

"Sure go right on through, may I speak with you for a moment mister Masen?" He asked looking at me as my mother went through the door.

"Of course doctor, is my father going to be alright?" I asked as I followed him to a set of chairs along the wall that I never noticed before.

"I'm sure he'll be alright, now tell me what happened when your father collapsed."

"Well I was up stairs in my study when he called me down to his, when I walked in the room he had all the windows open and was sweating pretty bad and coughing every now and then. He offered me a glass o whiskey, it was the most vile stuff I had ever tasted." He gave me a small smile at that. "Anyway when he gave me the glass I noticed he was shaking so I asked him about it and he said he was alright but started to cough again badly, he asked for a glass of water but when I went to get his one from the pitcher in the corner he collapsed and I noticed there was blood on his lips. What is wrong with my father doctor Cullen?"

"Please call me Carlisle, and I'm not sure yet but I will find out."

"Thank you doc…er… I mean Carlisle." He chuckled at me.

"Eddy!" I quickly spun around to see Katya behind me with an ugly scowl on her face.

"Katya, what are you doing here?" Carlisle went to get up and leave but I quickly grabbed his arm to stop him. "Please do not leave me alone with her." I whispered to him, he nodded frowning.

"Why did your father tell mine that you will not be marrying me?" She asked very loudly.

"Katya please keep your voice down and he did that because I asked him to."

"But why, I thought you liked me." I scowled at that.

"I was being polite."

"But Eddy…"

"Do not call me that, what are you doing here? You were asked to leave me be?"

"I want to know why you won't marry me."

"Because I do not love you and I refuse to marry someone I do not love, I do not want to do something just because it is expected and most of all I will not marry you because you have no respect for ones privacy. Please leave and do not bother me again Katya." She screamed and stomped her foot before storming out of the hospital, practically pushing people out of her way to leave.

"Am I to guess she was an arrangement?" Carlisle asked me.

"Yes she was, I can not stand that woman. Her voice to me is like nails on a chalk board and it grates on my nerves, every time we were left alone together she would practically jump me. It was horrifying." He snickered. "I want to marry someone I love not someone I am forced to be with, but I don't think I will ever get that chance." I muttered.

"Why is that mister Masen?"

"It's Edward, please and it does not matter." I said looking up at his face that was filled with compassion. He was a very handsome man that I would very much like to know.

" Would you like to take a walk with me Edward? It's my break and I would like to get some fresh air what do you say?" He asked smiling.

"Sure I will just let my mother know I am leaving for a bit, I hate hospitals and she knows it." He nodded.

"I will wait here."

I rushed through the doors that lead to the patients beds and easily found my mother by her red/brown hair like my own and was soon by her side.

"Ma I'm just going to go for a walk to get some fresh air, will you be alright here."

"Yeah, I'll be alright son. You go, I know how much you hate hospitals." She said not looking up from my fathers face as I kissed her head and left.

"I am ready when you are." I told him as I approached him once again.

"Great, let's go then." He smiled as he lead me out the door and into the chilly night air.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

 **Chapter. 3**

"So tell me about yourself Edward." He said as we sat down at an abandoned lake with our hot cups of coffee.

"There is really not much to say, I grew up in a loving home that wanted for nothing. My father is a lawyer and supplied me with the best tutors for homeschooling, they call me a quick study as I finished my schooling before my time. I am currently studying law and have been predicted to be finished with it by the end of the year. My father was pushing for me to marry and even went as far to set me up with the daughter of a workmate because he thinks no one will respect me if I do not have a trophy wife at home. But Ma made him see sense, that I did not want to marry just because it is expected. That I would marry when I was ready."

"When do you think that will be?" He asked while looking at the ducks on the lake.

"Oh I have always been ready, it is not a question about that. It is the fact that I would never be allowed to marry the person I fall in love with for as long as I live."

"Why do you say that?" He asked while studying my face intently.

"I can not tell you." I looked away from his scrutiny.

"Have you fallen in love?"

"No, not yet."

"Then how can you be sure that you will not be allowed to marry the person you desire?"

"You would not understand." I went to stand but he quickly grabbed my hand to stop me and held it.

"My father owned the local church where we lived, when I was sixteen he expected me to marry the daughter of the sheriff but I refused. You see I had just started courting someone in private we both knew it was dangerous if anyone ever found out we were together so we kept it quiet. But we weren't good enough at keeping it secret, the sheriffs daughter was a very observant girl. She noticed the looks we gave each other, the secret smiles and one day she caught us together. She outed us to my father and hers, my secret lover was her brother." I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand and even shed a tea for what I new he was about to say. "They hanged him right in front of me then beat me almost to death, when they were sure I couldn't take anymore they banished me."

"Oh my god, how did you survive that?" I whispered.

"That is a story for another time, now are you sure I wouldn't understand?" He asked smiling slightly.

I sighed. "I am gay." I whispered after a quick look to make sure no one was around to hear.

"I figured as much, Katya is a beautiful woman."

"Yes she is, but she is also very ugly."

"You mean her personality?" I nodded. "Yes I noticed."

"We should be getting back, Ma will be getting worried." I said standing.

"Edward, " he paused and took my chin in his hand forcing me to look at him. "You will get your chance at happiness you'll see." Then he brushed his lips against mine for a second and the they were gone.

"We need to get inside, you are freezing." I said and he smirked for some reason but nodded and lead the way back to the hospital.

When we arrived it was quite a bit busier than when we left, doctors and nurses were rushing around everywhere looking scared and worried. Carlisle pulled a nurse aside and asked her what was going on.

"I don't know sir, people just keep coming in and I heard a doctor saying something about influenza." She rushed off again after saying that.

"I was reading about La Grim only a week ago, is that what is wrong with my father?" I asked but Carlisle was nowhere in sight. I frowned looking around, not finding him anywhere I decide to go in search of my mother.

When I found her she was in a cot next to my father not looking much better then he was.

"Ma," I rushed to her side taking her hand and brushing her hair from her forehead. "Ma, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine my darling boy, I was just feeling a little under the weather is all." She whispered smiling at me, she looked like she was struggling to stay awake.

"Sir, you need to leave." A nurse from behind me said.

"No, I am not leaving. These are my parents, what is wrong with them?" The nurse just gave me a pitying look before rushing off again. I turned to my father and saw his eyes where open and I quickly sat by him. "Pa, how are you feeling."

"Where's you mother?"

"She is just in the cot next to you sleeping." I told him and he looked over to her frowning.

"She's ill too, isn't she?" I sighed and nodded. "Son I want you to listen to me and listen carefully, I want you to get out of here. Leave this hospital before you fall I'll too, leave this place, finish your studies and build a life for yourself. Your mother and I aren't going to make it through this illness." He told me seriously and I shook my head.

"No do not say that pa, you and ma will be fine. You will get better, you will see." I said desperately as tears started to fall down my cheeks.

"No son, leave this hospital and go home. Now." He whispered before falling asleep again.

I got up and went back to my mother taking the wet wash cloth from beside her bed and wiping the sweat from her face with it. She woke up and looked at me, smiling slightly as she caressed my face with her hand.

"You look tired junior, go home and get some rest." I shook my head.

"No Ma, I do not want to leave you." She smiled at me.

"I'll still be here in the morning. Go and get some rest then you come back and see me, go on." She shove my shoulder slightly. I nodded.

"Okay Ma, but I'll be back in the morning." I kissed her cheek as I stood, swaying slightly.

"Edward, are you alright?" Carlisle asked as I walked toward the exit.

"Yes I am just heading home for som rest, I will be back soon to visit my parents."

"Yes I heard that your mother had been admitted, I am sorry to hear that." I nodded.

"Could you please, just check on them for me every now and then?" I asked him. "I am worried my father isn't looking too good."

"I will, go get some rest."

"Thank you." I said gratefully and he smiled at me.

"Be careful." He told me as I walked out the doors. It didn't take me long to get home where I practically dragged myself up the stairs to my rom and collapsed face down on my bed where it was lights out for the rest of the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

 **Chapter. 4**

Lunch time the next day I was sitting by my mothers bed wiping her face clean with the wash cloth and I could barely keep my eyes open. I felt like I hadn't slept at all the night before so I was practically running on coffee to keep me up. The thought of food made me ill right now so I hadn't eaten since ma's last home cooked meal yesterday morning before pa fell ill.

"Edward are you alright?" Came Carlisle's concerned voice.

"Yes I'm fine I just did not sleep very well last night is all." I told him with a small smile as I continued to tend to my mother as she slept.

"You know we have nurses for that, why don't you go rest." I shook my head.

"I am fine, how is my father?" I asked looking behind me at pa who was looking incredibly frail.

"He looks like he is taking a turn for the worst I am afraid." He told me with a small sad smile on his face as I nodded, I had expected that answer.

"They are not going to make it, are they?" I whispered looking back to my mother as she let out a small whimper of pain.

"Have hope Edward, things can turn around I have seen it happen before."

"Yeah but how often?" I sighed laying my head on the bed next to my mothers.

"I'm sorry Edward I'm being called."

"Do not apologise, there are more then just my family that are ill and need your help. I understand that, go on." I smiled up at him as he looked torn, like he very much wanted to stay with me but quickly decided against it as his name was called again.

I closed my eyes as I thought about the handsome doctor whom I was quickly falling for even though I only met him yesterday, is it strange to feel like you have known someone your whole life when you know you haven't? I decided to sleep on it as I drifted off next to my mother, I knew I didn't sleep well last night due to my mother not being in the house. She just has this soothing presence that relaxes the whole house even though she isn't in the room, you just feel better that she is near. I also felt better knowing that Carlisle was near, he was quickly becoming a lifeline to me even though I had only just met him. With that last thought I drifted off to sleep.

XxX

When I woke up I was in a cot on my own, I felt something cold touching my wrist and looked up to see Carlisle looking down at me worriedly.

"What is it, is it my parents, are they alright." I asked in a rush letting out a small cough and panting like I had just run a marathon.

"I'm sorry Edward but your father passed away, two nights ago." I sucked in a breath.

"And my mother?" I asked dreading the answer.

"She's hanging in there, she's a fighter." He smiled, I frowned.

"Two days ago?" I asked confused.

I looked around me and saw my mother sleeping in the cot beside me and on the other side was a soldier, he was delirious by the looks of it except when he started to sing, the rhyme he chose gave me the chills.

 _"I had a little bird,_

 _It's name was Enza,_

 _I opened the window,_

 _And in-flu-enza."_

"You have been unconscious for three days now Edward." Carlisle told me looking concerned.

"Wow three days? I must have been pretty tired." I muttered coughing a little.

"Don't try to talk just rest." He told me pressing the back of his hand to my cheek and I leant into it a little.

"I'm fine…" I started before I was seized by a massive coughing fit, just like my father before he collapsed. My eyes widened as I realised this and my coughing got worse.

"Easy now, relax and breath. I will take care of you." He told me as he rolled me on my side and rubbed my back until I had control of my breathing again. He rolled me onto my back again and took a wash cloth to my face, neck and chest.

"I'm dying, am I not?" I asked.

"You're not going to die." I just looked at him, daring him to lie to me.

"I am not a fool doctor, my father was brought in here just days ago with the same symptoms as I and he has now passed. I look around and see many more like us, and my mother who has been in and out of consciousness. Please do not lie to me, I am not afraid." I tell him honestly, I was not afraid to die.

"You're really not afraid are you?" He asked looking upset by this.

"No, not afraid. Only saddened." He looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I am saddened by the fact that I will never get the chance to be loved by another and to love them equal in return. It is all I have ever wanted, sure my parents loved me but I wanted the chance to find love for myself. The sad thing is, I think I may have found it but I won't get the chance to explore it." He nodded with a sad look on his face. "Please do not feel bad for me, there are plenty who are worse off then me." I told him.

"You're a kind soul Edward, if only more were like you." He told me running his fingers down my face, warm for once, then he stood. "I need to go and check on the other patients, I will return a little later okay?"

"Okay doc." I said squeezing his hand a little before letting him go and quickly fell asleep again.

When I woke again I found I had been unconscious for twenty one hours and that my mother had passed while I slept. I was gutted that not only had my father passed, but my mother had as well and I hadn't been able so say goodbye to either of them. My health quickly went downhill after that, I just gave up because I had no one now. I had no friends because I always thought my studying was more important than making friends and now I had no family either, what was the use of surviving and going home to nothing.

I woke in the middle of the night to Carlisle leaning over me looking distressed.

"Do you trust me?" He asked, I had no energy to speak but I managed to give a small nod before falling asleep again.

 **A.N:** _That little rhyme I put in there was actually a real thing, the children of that era used that rhyme for the games they played, like jump-rope they would sing that rhyme just like the 1790's version of Ring around the Rosie._


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

 **Chapter 5**

The next time I woke I was in a small room and was being lifted from my bed by two strong arms and was cradled closely to an equally strong body.

"Carlisle?" I whispered cracking an eye open and decided I was dreaming because we were flying, at least I think we were.

He looked down at me and smiled slightly. "Everything will be alright soon Edward, you'll see. Try to hang in there for me, we're almost there." He said as I closed my eyes again out of energy.

I felt myself being placed on something soft and someone was stroking my face softly as I leant into the hand finding comfort from the soothing touch.

"Everything is going to be alright my sweet, I promise you. This is going to hurt a lot but you will feel better afterwards and I will explain everything." He whispered in my ear as he stroked my hair. I felt a kiss being pressed to my neck and then there was this unspeakable pain in that spot.

My eyes flew open and my hand flew to the burning spot on my neck, I saw Carlisle leaning over me and biting his fist looking like he wanted to cry as I I screamed in unbearable pain unable to stop it.

"I'm so sorry Edward, it will be better soon you'll see. I had no choice, I couldn't just let you die. I'm so sorry." He said but I was beyond caring what he was saying at the moment, all I could focus on was the pain. I didn't understand what was happening to me, one minute I am sick and didn't have enough strength to move a single muscle and now I am thrashing and screaming my lungs out while my body is burned from the inside out.

I have no idea how long I was like this it could have been days for all I know, but eventually the pain dulled a little and I was able to focus a little bit on what was going on around me. Carlisle was in the corner praying for forgiveness and pleading for the pain to stop soon, I must have made a noise as his head snapped and and he was in front on me in the blink of an eye. I quickly decided I was still delirious from my illness and the pain.

"I'm so sorry Edward please forgive me, I had no choice. It's almost over and I will explain everything. It will all be over soon, you'll see." He whispered as he stroked my face. Finding his touch comforting I leaned into his hand, nuzzling it and closing my eyes.

It seems my peace would be short lived as the fire in my body quickly flared up again twice as bad as it had been and I let out a blood curdling scream as Carlisle jumped up and away from me again, his eyes wide with the pain I was feeling.

I have no idea how long this lasted before the fire receded to my heart where it was beating so fast I thought it would explode. Carlisle appeared at my side again looking excited, smiling from ear to ear. If it weren't for the pain I was in I would have smacked him for smiling at my pain.

What felt like hours later but might have only been minutes, all the pain I was feeling just stopped. My heart beat once, twice, then it too just stopped. I didn't understand, my heart was not beating but I was still alive. How?

"How do you feel?" He asked and I frowned, his voice sounded slightly different.

"I do not understand, the burning just vanished. I am alive but my heart does not beat. What is going on?" I asked freaking out. I sat up and looked around until my eyes rested on Carlisle. If I thought he was handsome before, he was gorgeous now. I felt even more drawn to him now then I did before. Everything was just so confusing.

He stood and came to sit next to me. "You are different now Edward, we need to leave here now. It's too dangerous not only for you to be seen as everyone believes you dead, but also for people to be around you until you have control over your thirst." He told me like I should understand what he was saying. "You're a vampire now Edward."

I laughed. "Yeah right."

"I'm serious, I am over three hundred years old. I was born in the late fifteen hundreds and was sired in early sixteen hundred." He held a mirror up for me and when I looked I almost jumped back in fright. My eyes were blood red and my skin was pale white just like Carlisle's. "The eyes will fade over time with the diet of animal blood but will return to blood red if you change your diet to human blood. They will never be green again I'm afraid, you no longer need human food or water as it doesn't sustain you." I turned to face him again, searching his face.

"Why?" Was all I said but he knew what I meant.

"Your mother made me promise to do everything in my power to save you, I also couldn't just let you die. I care for you too much, more than I should." He sighed.

"I'm really alone aren't I?" I asked, my eyes pricking.

"You are not alone, you have me. Always."

"I can't go home, can I?" He looked at me sadly.

"I'm sorry Edward, but no. You can't, we must leave here as soon as possible and hunt."

"Hunt what?" I asked, confused.

"Deer, mountain lion, bear, things like that. I don't drink human blood, only animals in over populated areas."

"But you said you are a vampire, why do you not drink human blood?"

"I don't want to be a monster and drinking from humans would turn me into just that. A monster. I have never drank human blood and never will." I nodded.

"Is that why your eyes are yellow?"

"Yes and over time your eyes will change as well, with the diet of animal blood you feel closer to humans but as you drink human blood you feel less connected and more cut off which is what makes it so easy to become a monster. You lose your soul, I never wanted this life but will try my best to make the most of it and help where I can. What do you say are you with me, are you willing to try?" He asked and I thought for a moment before nodding my assent. Maybe I could do this, only time will tell.


	6. I'm sorry

_Hey guys, I'm sorry to inform you that this will be my last update for a little while as my mum had a stroke last night at the age of 42. Right now I need to focus on helping her get better. I'll be back soon._


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